Improvement in copy-book covers



2 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. W. 0. GILMAN. Copy-Book Cover. No. 214,291. Patented April 15, 1879.

i M PETERS. FNOTO LITNOGRAPHER WASHINGTON. D c.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. W. C. GILM AN. Copy-Book Cover.

No. 214,291. Patented April 15, 1879.

\IlTN 5E5- INVENTUR f mmw %ea. w wg%@ N FETERSfPHDTOLITHOGRAPHEH. WASHINGTON D C UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE.

JONATHAN W. O. GILMAN, OF MALDEN, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT. IN COPY-BOOK COVERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 214,291, dated April 15, 1879; application filed March 3, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JONATHAN W. O. GIL- MAN, of Malden, in the county of Middlesex, in the State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Copy-Book Covers and Blotters of which the following is a specification.

Various means are used for protecting the covers and pages of copy books. Among them may be mentioned the copy-book cover copyrighted by Slote, Woodman 82; O0. in the year 1870, consisting of a supplemental cover of sufficient length not only to inclose the main cover of the copy-book, but to project beyond its side edges a sufficient distance to cover the right and left pages in the copy-book when folded inwardly, and of a width sufficient to allow its margin upon the upper and lower edges to be folded inwardly upon the side of the cover to fasten it thereto. It is used to protect the cover of the copy-book, and also the page opposite the one being written on, as well as, when desirable, to furnish slopelines, which may be printed upon the flaps of a supplemental cover which folds inwardly. Also, the combined blotting-pad and writingbook cover patented to T. F. Van Everen May 3, 1870, which is shaped and used much like the one above mentioned, with these exceptions that the portions of the cover which fold inwardly are of unruled blotting-paper cemented to the remainder of the cover, and there are no top and bottom fastening-flaps. Both these protective covers require about twice as much paper as is contained in the permanent cover, and at no time is any portion of the page written upon protected. Also, the patent to N. P. Beers, granted June 7, 1870, No. 103,965, which describes a copy-book composed of detached sheets, an envelope-cover so constructed and arranged that when the envelope-flap is book cover and blotter which shall effect a saving in material over the protective covers now in use and a saving in the cost of manufacture; second, to so arrange a blotter in relation to the copy-book that it may be used upon the page upon which the writing is being done, and act as a support or rest for the hand as well as for the blotter while it forms a portion of the cover; third, to provide a cover with scale or slope lines, which may be folded under the page to be written as a guide in getting the correct slope, proportions, &c., or instruction for guidance in writing or for reference.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective of the cover wide open. Fig. 2 shows the lower flap folded upon the upper page of a book folded back to back. Fig. 3 shows the book partially drawn out from beneath the flap. Fig. 4 shows the manner of use of the slope lines upon the upper flap. The under flap is folded from the position represented by dotted lines below the upper leaf, and the upper flap is then folded upon the under flap. Fig. 5 represents a closed cover; Fig. 6, a method of attaching the lower flap to the re mainder of the cover; Fig. 7, a cover of two thicknesses of material.

To employ my cover, the copy or other book is folded back to back, so that one page only is exposed. It is then laid upon the cover as represented in Fig. 4, the flap on extending from beyond the upper edge, and the flap a from below its lower edge. This lower flap is then folded upon the surface of the exposed page in the manner indicated in Fig. 2. In writing the book is gradually removed from under the flap a as the upper portion is written to expose the unwritten portion of the page, so that while the upper part of the page is being written upon the lower portion is always protected by the flap a and a rest thus provided for the support of the hand.

To use. the slope-lines the flap a is inserted into the book beneath the upper page and above the hand rest and blotter a thus bringing it beneath the writing which it is desired to test, as shown in Fig. 4. When the copy-book is not in use the flap a may be folded upon the flap a in the manner indicated in Fig. 5.

The cover may be made entirely of blottingpaper, or the flap-rest a only, in which case it is cemented to the remainder ot'the cover at a". The cover may be made ot'cloth, Manilapaper, or of any other suitable tlexible material, and be lined upon its inside wholly or in part with blotting or other paper when a strong construction or ornamentation is desired.

It will be noticed that the supplemental cover not only protects the under page of the book inelosed therein during writing, but also protects the page which is being written from soilure by the hand, and furnishes an even support for the hand in writing the lower lines of the page.

It will be observed that the blotter or handrest a is connected with the remainder of the cover only along its lower edge, and that it can be moved outwardly from the book in removing it from the same when it is desirable to turn a leat.

It- Will also be observed that the upper tlap is secured to the remainder of the cover only along the line ot told, and that when made from a single sheet ot' paper it is formed by folding the lower portion upon itself to form the flap a, and the upper outwardly to term the flap a.

The advantages of this invention over other protective copy-book covers consist not only in the saving in material and cost of construction effected, but also in the improved article produced, which not only protects the outer page of a copy-book, but also provides a blotter and hand-rest for the page which is written upon permanently attached to the rest of the cover, takes less room upon the desk in its use, and when placed thereon necessitates only the drawing of the book from beneath the handrest or blotter as the writing progresses. If desired, the upper flap may have a clasp attached to its lower edge, arubber band, or some other device, for fastening the same to the remainder of the cover.

llavin g thus fully described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent ot' the United States- As an improved article of manufacture, a supplemental case consisting of the partA, provided with flaps u a, whereof flap a is adapted to fold upward upon and partly cover the book or paper in said ease, and flap a is adapted to fold downward upon and over the margin of flap 11, whereby a rest for the hand is furnished to the writer, and the paper to be written upon protected from soi'lure, substantially as de scribed.

JONATHAN W. C. GILMAN.

\Yitnesses:

1 1'. RAYMOND, 2d, time. I WALKER. 

